1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates to crib dropside assemblies and the hardware used in connection with such assemblies.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Cribs are generally provided with dropsides which can be maintained either in raised or lowered positions. The dropside is raised to prevent an infant from climbing out of the crib. It is moved to the lowered position to facilitate access to the infant. A number of dropside assemblies have been developed for positioning the dropside in selected positions. U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,464 discloses one such assembly including a cable and spring-loaded locking pins. Another type of dropside assembly, which is presently in commercial use, includes a generally J-shaped pin track and a pin which is positioned in the pin track. The positioning of the pin in the track determines whether the dropside is in the raised or lowered positions.
Cribs are often provided to consumers in unassembled form. Ease of assembly is accordingly desirable. Some cribs are designed for conversion to day beds upon removal of the dropside. The ability to easily remove the dropside facilitates such conversion. As dropsides are frequently raised and lowered, the ability to do so smoothly is a desirable feature.